What is the difference between getActive() and getActiveSpreadsheet() in Apps Script?

Question

Whats the difference between these two methods from class SpreadSheetApp in Google Apps Script?

Both return "currently active spreadsheet, or null if there is none". Whats the difference between them, exactly? When should I use each one?

Answer 1

For me they're quite interchangeable really. Both return Spreadsheet object and has access to methods available to Class Spreadsheet. Feel free to use whichever you prefer.

Same results:

 Logger.log("getActiveSpreadSheet() "+SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getUrl());
 Logger.log("getActive() "+ SpreadsheetApp.getActive().getUrl() );

Answer 2

They don't seem to return a pointer to the same animal. I don't know why (don't have time to investigate) but

1. The sheet returned by getActiveSheet() has the getRangeByName() method - and the one from getActive() doesn't have it
2. The sheet returned by getActiveSheet() doesn't have the getCharts() method - and the one from getActive() does have it

Either something really over my head makes this justifiable or it is just dismal language/syntax design (maybe some legacy crap that never got resolved?)

Answer 3

For me they're quite interchangeable really. Both return Spreadsheet object and has access to methods available to Class Spreadsheet. Feel free to use whichever you prefer.

Same results:

 Logger.log("getActiveSpreadSheet() "+SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getUrl());
 Logger.log("getActive() "+ SpreadsheetApp.getActive().getUrl() );